1. (noun)motivation, motive, need the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives"
2. (noun)motif, motive a theme that is repeated or elaborated in a piece of music
4. (adj)motive(a), motor causing or able to causemotion "a motive force"; "motive power"; "motor energy"
5. (adj)motivative(a), motive(a), motivating impelling to action "it may well be that ethical language has primarily a motivative function"- Arthur Pap; "motive pleas"; "motivating arguments"
Definition of 'motive' 
